Only Hope
by Inscriffany
Summary: The final book in the Harry Potter saga. I will try to stay close to what JKR set up for us at the end of HBP. Do not read if you haven't finished book 6.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: After some consideration, I decided it didn't make a lot of sense to re-write Reign of Camelot given that HBP is already on the shelves. I may go back to it at a later date just for fun. As such, this will be my version of what is to come in Harry & Co. 7th year based on the events of The Half-Blood Prince.

_Edits: 9/10/06  
_

Disclaimer: I do not own or thereby claim the rights to Harry Potter and subsequent characters, plots, etc. These all belong to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic Books, and Warner Bros.

Chapter 1:

Harry Potter, just one day shy of turning seventeen, sat by his window at Number Four, Privet Drive and looked longingly outside. One more day and he could leave on his self-appointed quest to find the many places that Voldemort has hidden the fragmented pieces of his soul. It was on such a quest, that Harry and Albus Dumbledore had found what they believed to be a Horcrux; a fragment of a wizard's soul. Yet, as Harry discovered later, they were sadly mistaken. And lives had been sacrificed because of their naiveté.

It had been one month. One month was all that had past since the attack. One month since the lives of so many in the wizarding world had been so greatly affected by one man's death. Harry still couldn't believe that Severus Snape, so-called spy for the Order of the Phoenix, had actually been playing them all this time. It was he who had performed the Avada Kedavra curse, effectively murdering Albus Dumbledore. Harry had never had fuzzy feelings towards his long-time potions professor. But he trusted Dumbledore, and Dumbledore trusted Snape, so that was enough for Harry. Most of the time. Of course, whenever Harry's life was in danger, he and Ron had been quick to point fingers at the Slytherin Head of House, but when it came down to it, the only thing that they had been sure of was that Snape despised Harry's father and seemed to carry that hatred through the generations. They had all had the wool pulled over their eyes.

But Snape was gone now. After he had performed the Killing Curse he had fled, most likely to return to serve his Dark Lord. Harry couldn't care less, really. He knew that one day he would avenge the deaths of so many close to him in his life but he needed to continue the work that he had begun with Dumbledore. Some day, he would face people like Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape and Tom Riddle (for that was the name that best suited "he-who-must-not-be-named" in Harry's opinion) and hurt them just as they had hurt him. Someday. But not today.

Instead, tomorrow evening, after he had received the many birthday presents he was sure his friends would be sending him, Harry would embark on an adventure and find a way to finally defeat and kill the man who had so ruined his life. He recalled the conversation he had had with Ginny at the end of term just a month ago.

_" 'Ginny, listen…I can't be involved with you anymore…it's been like…like something out of someone else's life these last few weeks with you…But I can't…we can't…I've got things to do alone now.'"_

And later, with Ron and Hermione…

They had been talking about the future of Hogwarts. _" 'I can't bear the idea that we might never come back. How can Hogwarts close?' Hermione had asked desperately._

_"… 'I'm not coming back even if it does reopen.'"_

They had looked at him strangely then, though Hermione had said she knew he would say that. _"'I'm going back to the Dursley's once more, because Dumbledore wanted me to. But it'll be a short visit, and then I'll be gone for good.'"_

In one more day he would turn seventeen and leave the Muggle world behind. It seemed fitting to leave on his birthday, they day that he would be considered an adult by wizarding standards. He half-expected to receive several owls the following day bearing birthday gifts and wishes. Part of him wanted to; the child in him said "stay." But the adult told him it was time to move on. And so Harry had packed a week ago and now spent every night staring out his window, waiting for the day to come.

12:02, the clock blinked accusatorily at him. 'Why aren't you gone yet?' Two minutes later, Harry noticed four figures flying at his window and quickly opened it to let the creatures in. He recognized Pig and Hedwig, of course, but the other two were a mystery. Possibly school owls? He untied the parcels from each owl and offered them a bit of water and food. Something that Hedwig looked none too pleased to see, but reluctantly allowed her feathered friends some shelter and food anyway.

"Well, let's see what we've got here," Harry muttered to the empty room and proceeded to open the packages one by one.

_"Harry,_

_How's it goin', mate? We reckon we'll see you pretty soon, seeing as it's your birthday and you'll probably be wanting to get out of the Dursley's as soon as you can. Dad says we can come get you at 5:00 on your birthday to go to the Ministry and get your Apparition license. Anyway, wasn't sure what to get you for your birthday, so I hope you like it! Fred and George helped me pick it out, so be careful!"_

Harry grabbed the package that had accompanied Ron's letter and opened it to find a surplus of Shield Hats, Cloaks and Gloves. Harry grinned. These would all come in very handy in the coming months and possibly years.

He reached for the next letter that Hedwig had delivered.

_"Harry,_

_Happy Birthday! You're now an adult wizard! Don't forget, you're coming to the Burrow for Bill and Fleur's wedding before you start on your adventure. Ron and I are still coming with you, by the way. I'm not sure if we made that clear to you at the memorial service, but there's no way we're going to let you do this alone. Have we ever?_

_Take care and we'll see you soon!_

_Love,_

_Hermione"_

She had gotten him a book, "Most Advanced Defensive Spells", obviously hoping it would aid him in the coming war.

And the next…

_"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Headmistress Minerva McGonagall_

_Harry Potter_

_The Upstairs Bedroom_

_Number 4, Privet Drive_

_Surrey, England_

_Dear Mr. Potter_

_We are pleased to inform you that after the events of last spring, Hogwarts will remain open for another term. Your list of books required for your seventh and final year has been included as well. Please send this owl with your reply of whether or not you will be attending in the fall._

_Sincerely,_

_Filius Flitwick_

_Deputy Headmaster"_

Well, that was easy. Harry took a piece of parchment and a quill from his desk and quickly wrote, "I regret to inform you that I will not be returning to Hogwarts this year so I can finish the job Headmaster Dumbledore and I set out to do", tied it to the corresponding owl and sent him on his way.

Finally, Harry opened the fourth letter, rather curious to find out who it was from. A key dropped out of the envelope as he pulled out the rest of its contents.

_"Harry Potter_

_Who I am is of no consequence to you. What matters is that I know of the quest you will soon embark upon and the place where you shall begin. The enclosed key will lead you on the path; all you have to do is discover what it opens._

_Good luck to you,_

_RAB"_


	2. Farewells

A/N: A few changes have been made to the end of the first scene as well as the end of the chapter. As some of these changes will affect the rest of the story, you can expect to see more edits to a few other chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own or thereby claim the rights to Harry Potter and subsequent characters, plots, etc

Chapter 2: Leaving Home

Five o'clock in the evening on July 31st was a long time coming in Harry's mind. He tried doing little things around the house to pass the time, but cleaning, gardening, even pestering Dudley soon became dull. Finally, there was not much else to do but sit beside the window in the living room and wait for Ron and Mr. Weasley to come.

Unfortunately, Aunt Petunia had other ideas. "Why are you just sitting there, boy?" she screeched in that accusing manner of hers.

"I'm waiting for the Weasley's to come get me. And then I'll be gone for good."

"Those are the people with the red hair and shoddy clothes?"

Harry grunted in response.

Aunt Petunia cast a nervous glance around the living room. "A-are they all coming?"

"No. Just Ron and his dad."

At that moment, two successive pops were followed by the appearance of Arthur and Ron Weasley. "Harry, how are you?" Mr. Weasley stepped forward to shake Harry's hand while Ron grinned at him from behind.

Harry returned the grin, answering Mr. Weasley at the same time. "Great now that you're here."

Mr. Weasley glanced over Harry's shoulder at Aunt Petunia who was now inching her way to the door. "Petunia, right? I see you've repaired the fireplace."

Apparently this was not the right thing to say at the moment, for Petunia stiffened visibly and yelled, "VERNON!"

Arthur jumped at the sound of Petunia's shrill, panicked voice, and then jumped higher at what sounded like a herd of elephants coming down the stairs.

"What is it, Petunia?" Uncle Vernon asked. He leaned forward, hands on his massive thighs and tried to catch his breath.

Ron and Harry exchanged glances and tried to stifle their laughter; clearly this man was not in the best of shape. Dudley wasn't faring much better, either. He had collapsed on the couch upon entering the room and was now breathing as though he had just completed a 33 kilometer marathon.

Aunt Petunia pointed a shaking figure at Mr. Weasley who was beginning to look more and more concerned by the woman's behavior. "H-him."

Vernon's eyes widened at the same time that his face went so purple Harry thought he resembled a very large grape. "What are you doing here," he asked menacingly.

Mr. Weasley gulped. "I came to, that is to say, my son Ron and I came to pick Harry up for his apparition test and to take him to my home, the Burrow, for Ron's brother's wedding." This was all said in a matter of a few seconds and at the end of his long-winded sentence, Mr. Weasley drew in a huge breath, clearly hoping Vernon Dursley would not punch him in the face.

"I see. Will this be the last time we will see you, boy?" Uncle Vernon turned his attention to Harry.

Harry nodded. "Yes, Uncle Vernon. I'm already packed; we just need to get my things and then I'll be out of your hair." _Hopefully forever._

"Well, what are waiting for? Hop to it!"

Harry grinned at Ron. He knew Vernon would be glad to get rid of him. "Yes, Uncle Vernon."

Ten minutes later, Ron, Mr. Weasley and Harry had placed Shrinking charms on all of Harry's items and Harry was once more in front of the people he had more or less called his family for sixteen years. "Well…this is it…" he said lamely.

Vernon graced him with a grunt. Dudley looked at his shoes. Petunia…Harry had to look closer…Petunia actually had tears in her eyes. "I-I know we haven't treated you well, Harry-"

Vernon and Harry both gaped at Petunia disbelievingly, but for different reasons. Vernon couldn't believe his wife was actually teary-eyed over their freak nephew leaving, and Harry couldn't believe she had just called him 'Harry'.

"- But I want you to know there was a time that your mother and I got along as sisters should. I just have this feeling that I may never see you again and I wanted to tell you that I am sorry for what we put you through."

Harry just stared at her for a moment, not quite sure how to respond. Ron and Mr. Weasley had kindly stepped outside, knowing that this might be more awkward for Harry if they were standing behind him tapping their toes. "Aunt Petunia," he decided to address her as Vernon seemed to have no interest in whatever Harry had to say, "I won't lie and tell you that these last years have been wonderful beyond compare. I've had to endure a lot of hardship, and much of that was because of you. But, you are my mother's sister, and I don't think she would have wanted me to hold grudges against you. I don't know if I can forgive you now, but maybe in time I will."

Aunt Petunia nodded her acceptance. She knew that asking her nephew for forgiveness was going to be a lot to ask of him, but if he was anything like Lily, he would try. And it seemed that he was more like Lily than she had ever bargained for. "Good luck," she whispered. "And be careful."

"I will. Goodbye, Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon….Dudley." With that, Harry Potter turned the doorknob and went out to join his other family.

"Ready, Harry?" Arthur asked, a gentle smile on his face.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Hold on lightly to my arm then; we'll Apparate to the Ministry and then you can Apparate on your own to the Burrow. Provided you pass the test of course."

Harry did as he was instructed and POP, the three wizards disappeared from Number 4, Privet Drive.

Merely seconds later, three more POPs could be heard. Petunia and Dudley looked at each other, then Vernon in confusion. Vernon opened the door, ready to yell at his nephew when his eyes widened due to there being three masked men standing on his doorstep, each pointing a wand in their faces. "Wha-"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!

Petunia screamed in horror as Vernon collapsed to the floor, a look of fright frozen on his robust face. She scrambled backwards, trying to get away from these terrifying masked men, yelling at Dudley to run and tripped on the step that was directly behind her, falling to the floor helplessly.

"What do you want?" She gasped in terror as she attempted to crawl backwards up the stairs. "Please, oh please, don't hurt us!

They said nothing for a moment. Then one lifted one of those _things_, a wand, and pointed it at Dudley. "_Crucio!"_

Petunia had never moved so quickly. In one moment she was in the middle of staircase and in the next, she was running to push her beloved son out of the way, who stumbled at fell against the wall. "Leave my son ALONE!" She screamed as never before as the pain hit and she dropped to the floor in agony.

"Mum!" Dudley yelled out, looking frantically around, trying to find a way to escape. "Leave her alone!"

The man who had pointed the wand at Dudley lifted the curse and turned to look disdainfully at the fat boy who was cowering against the wall. "You think that if you get closer to the wall you'll get skinnier, boy? I still see you, and you're still going to die.

Dudley whimpered. "Wh-why?"

The wizard shrugged and pointed his wand back at Dudley, "Because it's what we do. _Avada Kedavra._"

Petunia screamed once more as her son slumped against the wall, his mouth open in fearful protest. "You _**murderer**_! What do you think you're doing, coming into _my_ home and killing my family? You will pay for this!" Yet as she screamed the words at this monster who had just destroyed her livelihood, she knew without a doubt that they would not pay and that she was going to die. Just like Lily.

Until this point, the other two men had been watching the ordeal silently, flanking the other one who seemed to be in charge. Now, they stepped forward and the three men aimed their wands at Petunia's shaking form. "_Avada Kedavra!_"

_The Burrow_

On the day of the wedding, the Burrow was, if possible, even more hectic than it normally was. Mrs. Weasley was running around, trying to feed everyone while making adjustments to Fleur's wedding gown, Charlie, Ron and Harry were outside de-gnoming the yard, Hermione and Ginny were upstairs getting dressed and helping Fleur's little sister get into her own gown, and Fred and George were setting up the chairs (which was quite the feat since they kept charming them to duel each other before they settled onto the ground) Bill had disappeared as he was both very nervous and wanted to follow wedding tradition to the T. He would not set his eyes on his bride until she walked down the aisle. Fleur, of course, was in Mrs. Weasley's company, making some last minute changes on her dress. At last, everything was ready.

The music began and all the guests turned in their seats expectantly. First, Bill's little cousins Violet and Bobby walked together down the aisle as Flower Girl and Ring Bearer. Small sighs and coos were heard through the female members of the audience. Ginny was the next one down the aisle, followed by Gabrielle. Harry caught sight of Ginny and felt his breath catch in his throat. She looked as beautiful as he had ever seen her. She wore a simple bronze strapless gown which brought out her gorgeous brown eyes and made her skin glow like the sun. Harry couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

This was rather unfortunate as Harry missed the entire ceremony from the point that Ginny had walked down the aisle. He just stared at her the whole time and knew she was having a hard time not looking at him. Harry just perked up as he heard the minister say, "You may now kiss the bride." He wished he and Ginny were up there, but he knew it couldn't happen as long as Voldemort was at large.

The reception after the ceremony reminded Harry quite a bit of the parties they used to have in the Gryffindor Common Room. The music was loud and the guests were having a good time. It was as though the threat hanging over them had never existed. Harry smiled a bit at this thought. It was nice to get away from it all every once in a while.

"What are you thinking about?" Ginny asked, coming to sit next to her ex-boyfriend. Well, her ex who wasn't really her ex, but he was because Voldemort was after him.

"Just that this is really nice. I wish we could have more days like this."

She took his hand and looked him the eye. "So do I. And we will, Harry. After you defeat him, we'll have plenty of days like this."

"You have more confidence in me than I do. All I keep thinking is, how soon will it be until he kills me?"

"Never. He won't. You'll find a way."

Harry shook his head. "Will I? I'm not exactly the best wizard in my year and I haven't even finished school yet. I'm not nearly the wizard that Dumbledore was and he got killed."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Harry. I know you say it was all luck that got you through those encounters with Voldemort, but you know there had to be some skill behind it too. I don't care if you never did very well in school, Harry. When it comes right down to it, you always come through. I believe in you."

Harry leaned forward, catching her chin in his hand and tilted it up so she was looking him in the eyes. "Thank you." He leaned in a bit further and kissed her gently.

Ginny drew him in closer, going in for a longer, deeper kiss. Soon they were surrounded by catcalls and comments such as, "If this is how you treat girls you're not even dating, I'd love to see you with a girlfriend!" Harry and Ginny broke apart quickly, both trying and failing to hide a grin.

Harry stood up and offered his sort-of girlfriend a hand. "Care to dance? I can't guarantee I won't step on your toes."

"I would love to," Ginny replied, placing her hand in Harry's.

"Oh, and you're not coming with us," Harry whispered in her ear as they took to the dance floor.

"What?!"

"That kiss back there does not mean that things are any different. I am not putting you in danger."

Ginny stepped back and stared at him in disbelief. "What if I want to put myself in danger? I want to help Harry, you know that."

"I know, Gin, and maybe next year, if we haven't found all the horcruxes yet you can join us. By that time you'll be seventeen and you can make that decision." He held up a hand, knowing she was going to argue with him again. "I know you feel like you can make that decision now, and honestly I think you're mature enough. If Hogwarts were closing this year, I'd even consider it then because you couldn't stand being stuck at home. But I know your mother and so do you and we both know that she won't let you go. I won't have you turn your back on your family to do what you want. They can't go through that again. Please don't do something that you may regret."

Ginny looked down, tears her eyes. "I don't want to leave you, Harry. I love you."

"I know. I love you too. And that's why you can't go. If something happened to you, I wouldn't be able to finish my task. I'm just not strong enough. Please let me be strong, Ginny."

She nodded slowly, the tears now streaming down her cheeks. "Will you wait for me?"

"Forever. No matter how long it takes. There will be no one else for me but you, but now isn't the time for us. If I make it through this, then maybe," he held up a hand to stem her flow of words as she had opened her mouth in protest. "Ginny, live your life, for me. Don't put it on hold. See other guys, be the carefree girl I fell in love with. Promise me." Harry looked intently into her eyes, holding her chin in one hand and gently wiping her tears with the other.

She laid her cheek on his shoulder, the tears leaving tracks down the sleeve of his robes and enjoyed what would be some of her final moments with him before he left. "I promise."


	3. This Road May Be Long

_Edits: 06/07/08_

Disclaimer: I do not own or thereby claim the rights to Harry Potter and subsequent characters, plots, etc. They all belong to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic Books, and Warner Bros.

Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione forgo attending Hogwarts their 7th year in order to finish the task Dumbledore set forth for the Chosen One; finding and destroying Voldemort's horcruxes.

Chapter 3

The sun seemed to rise earlier than usual the morning after Bill and Fleur's wedding. Harry, not generally being one to wake up with the sun, rolled over and groaned when its rays spread over his eyelids. "Don't wanna," he muttered to his pillow.

"Come on, then, dear," Mrs. Weasley chirruped pleasantly, drawing the curtains in the room Harry was sharing with Ron. "You've had a bit of lie in, but it's time you've gotten up!"

Harry ever so slowly opened his eyes and peered up at the woman who had been like a mother to him. "Whaddya mean?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled gently at him and pointed outside. "It's after ten o'clock, Harry. Everyone else has eaten and now they're enjoying a nice game of Quidditch."

Apparently the sun had not risen earlier than usual. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley. I'll be downstairs in a moment."

"Very well, dear. Would you like some biscuits?"

Harry nodded. "Mmm. Yes, that would be wonderful." He watched as Molly left the room and shut the door to give him privacy while he changed; he was going to miss that woman.

Now rushing to get dressed and go outside to join his friends, Harry finally managed to pull himself together and went downstairs to the kitchen. After eating Mrs. Weasley's biscuits and drinking a glass of pumpkin juice, Harry grabbed his broom and went outside to join the Quidditch match.

"Two against two?" Ron suggested as Harry walked over to join them. "Me and Hermione against you and Ginny?"

Harry glanced over at Ginny who winked at him. "We'll smoke 'em." Harry laughed and mounted his Firebolt, enjoying the wind rushing past his ears and tried to forget that this might be the last bit of fun he would have for a long time.

The atmosphere around the Burrow had turned very morose since they had started their little game. It was as if reality had settled in around them and Harry wondered if this was what it felt like when families sent their sons and daughters off to war. "I'll go pack my things," he told his two companions as he passed them in the kitchen. Ron and Hermione barely heard him, both too preoccupied with what was to come.

Ginny sat down at the table with them and sighed, gazing despondently up the stairs after the boy she was supposed to be with.

Hermione looked over at her younger friend and looked at her with concern. "You all right, Gin?"

Not trusting her voice at that exact moment, the redhead just nodded. "I guess."

"You know you can still write to us, and we'll try to get back as soon as we can," Hermione consoled her.

Ginny chuckled wryly. "No offense, Hermione, but I'm probably going to more excited to see one of the three of you than all of you…God, that's not what I meant!"

"It's okay, Ginny. I know what you mean. Of course you'll miss Harry most of all!"

At that, Ron looked up at his sister and girlfriend. "Oy! What am I? Chopped liver?"

Hermione sighed patiently. "Ron--"

"I'm kidding, Hermione," her boyfriend held up a hand to halt the flow of words he knew would be pouring from the witch's mouth. "Ginny loves me. She loves Harry, too, just in a different way. Right, Gin?"

Ginny's mouth turned up at the corners as she looked across the table at her brother. "Definitely different, that's for sure." She laughed as Ron processed her comment and proceeded to look at her in disgust.

"Ginny! That's just…Ew!"

"Ever the wordsmith, Ron," Hermione smirked.

Ginny regarded her brother a little more seriously once they had finished chuckling. "Really, Ron, I've always known that it would be hardest to watch you go. I was so young when Bill and Charlie moved on, and I was never that close to Percy. Fred and George, well, they're always around, so it's like they never left. But, you Ron, you've always been there. The one year you went to Hogwarts before me gave me a little taste of what it would be like without you around; this is different, somehow. You might not come back."

Ron shrugged. "That is a possibility. Being Harry Potter's best friend kind of puts me at risk. It'll be okay though, Gin. We'll all come back."

Ginny gave him a knowing smile that made her look much wiser than her years. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Ronald. What you guys are doing is deeply dangerous--"

A loud THUNK interrupted Ginny's next comment as Harry had just tossed a duffel bag down the stairs. "You guys about ready to go?" He hollered from Ron's room.

"We're the ones waiting for you!" Ron yelled back. "Hurry up; we're not getting any younger here!"

At that, Harry entered the kitchen with a grim look on his face. "You ready for this?" He wasn't entirely sure what 'this' was going to entail, but Harry was sure the following months would not be easy.

"As we'll ever be," Hermione rose to place a supporting hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Mum!" Ron hollered, "we're getting ready to leave."

Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen holding a handkerchief to her red and tear-filled eyes. "Oh, Ron!" She wailed as she embraced her youngest son. The rest of the family had already left earlier that morning, either to go to work, or, in Bill and Fleur's case, to go on their honeymoon.

Ron blushed to the tips of his ears and squirmed in his mother's tight grip. "Mum," he whispered, "stop. I'll come home to you." But her hold on him only got tighter. Ron finally relaxed into it, realizing that perhaps he wouldn't be coming home. This really might be the last time he would ever see his mom. Suddenly, the emotions swept over him as he thought of all the times she had been there for him. And there wasn't really anything he could say, partially due to the lump in his throat, but he managed to swallow and pull away, holding her at an arm's length. "I know I haven't always been the most grateful son, but everything you do for us; I can't tell you 'thank you' enough. I love you." Then he leaned over, as he was at least a head, or more, taller than she was, and kissed her on the forehead.

Still whimpering, but much less emotional, Mrs. Weasley turned to Harry next. "You know, you were like another son to me, Harry. Promise me you'll be careful, dear."

Harry regarded the woman who had become like a mother to him with fondness. "I'll do my best, Mrs. Weasley. Thank you for everything."

She smiled and embraced the younger man tightly. "You know, you can call me Molly," she whispered.

"Goodbye, then, Molly."

Hermione had been hanging in the background, simply observing. She and Molly had gotten along for the most part, with the exception of that time in fourth year when Rita Skeeter had led everyone to believe Hermione was stringing Harry along. They had never been terribly close, however, so she was completely taken off guard when the woman pulled her into a very tight embrace.

"You take good care of those boys, Hermione. You'll be the one that holds them together; you know that, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Hermione replied, trying to sound strong. Could she really handle that?

"You're the smartest witch I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Don't be afraid of your emotions, though, my dear. Follow your heart."

The two women pulled away, looking at each other with understanding. Now there was nothing left to do except gather up their things and go to Godric's Hollow.

Harry quickly shrunk all of their trunks and handed them to Ron and Hermione. Ginny and Molly stood together by the stairs, simply watching, their eyes overflowing with tears again. Harry walked over to Ginny and held her by her upper arms, looking into her watery eyes. "Goodbye, Gin. I love you."

Ginny nodded, unable to trust her own voice. "Come back to me," she finally managed to whisper.

Harry nodded, and then turned to face Ron and Hermione. "Well?" And with one final glance at each other, the trio apparated away, leaving the two Weasley women behind.

_Godric's Hollow_

Godric's Hollow was fairly quiet for it being mid-afternoon on a Sunday. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked around, observing their surroundings, taking everything in. It really was a quaint little village, with a large fountain in the center and cottages surrounding the whole area.

"Where do you suppose--?" Hermione asked, turning around, trying to see where the Potter's old house must have been.

"My parent's house is?" Harry finished for her, also looking every which direction. "Maybe we should try to find someone and ask."

"What, just knock on someone's door?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. "Why not?" He walked swiftly to the nearest house and knocked on the door. An elderly woman answered and looked kindly out at the three young wizards.

"Yes?"

Being the more diplomatic one of the group, Hermione stepped forward and smiled brightly. "We're terribly sorry to bother you, ma'am, but we're a little lost and were wondering if you could help us?"

"What can I do for you?"

"Do you happen to know where the Potter's old house is?"

The woman's gaze suddenly took on a far off look. "Potter's? You don't mean James and Lily Potter, do you?"

Harry nodded eagerly. "Yes, ma'am."

She shook her head sadly. "They aren't there anymore; died years ago. It was a tragedy, really. They had a little boy, but I'm not sure what ever came of him."

Harry smiled at her sadly. "That would be me."

Her eyes widened in shock and sympathy. "Oh, you poor dear! When that man murdered your parents it was all over the news. Terrible, just terrible."

Harry, Ron and Hermione just stood there, waiting and smiling with understanding.

"Oh! You were wanting directions, weren't you?" Within five minutes, the elderly woman had explained that the Potter's house was on the outskirts of Godric's Hollow, that it was mostly in ruins, but no one had had the heart to tear it down. With a tearful smile, she waved them on and wished them luck.

"Thank you, Ms--" Harry let the sentence hang, suddenly realizing he had not asked her for her name.

"You can call me Clara, dear."

"Well then, thank you, Clara."

"You're most welcome, my dears. I hope you find what you're looking for!"

A few miles down the road, they came to a fork and stopped, trying to remember what Clara had told them. "She said to keep going straight, didn't she?" Hermione asked.

Ron shook his head. "No…that was at the first intersection we came to. She said go right."

"I swear it was straight."

"No, right."

"Straight, Ronald."

"Right, Hermione."

"Shut up," Harry finally said, mimicking their increasingly haughty tones. "Besides, you're both wrong. She said left."

Continuing on, Harry was struck with a thought. "Do you suppose Clara is a witch?"

"Well, Godric's Hollow is supposed to be an all Wizarding community," Hermione answered, "so I would imagine so."

"That's odd," Harry mused.

"What is?"

He frowned for moment, lost in thought. "Well, she acted like she didn't know anything about me or what's been going on the last few years. Like she was totally clueless to our world."

"Maybe she doesn't keep up with things like that. This is a pretty remote location. Out of the way from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, you know?"

Harry nodded, looking around again. "It is nice and quiet, isn't it? I can see why my parents would have liked it here."

They fell silent again, walking together in the comfort of knowing they could all just be together without saying a word. A little while later, Ron stopped and pointed a few yards ahead. "There! I see it!"

Sure enough, a small cottage that was barely standing had appeared. Harry broke into a run, desperate to see the place that had once been his home. Ron and Hermione looked at each other and hung back a little bit, knowing that Harry would want some time alone.

They found him a little while later, sitting on the floor of what must have been his room, for there was a crib by the window and infant toys scattered throughout. Harry was holding an old, ratty, blanket, staring at his crib.

Hermione knelt by him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay, Harry?"

He was quiet for a moment, still trying to fight back the tide of emotions that had threatened to engulf him the moment he entered the room. This was where his mother had died to save him. This was where she had rocked him to sleep and probably sang him lullabies. He had most likely played here with his mum and dad, and even Sirius and Remus. He could almost hear the laughter echoing through the room.

"I'm not sure," Harry finally answered softly. "I didn't know it was going to be like this, you know? She died in this room."

Hermione simply nodded, keeping her hand on Harry's shoulder in support. Ron hung back in the doorway, knowing that he really wasn't very good in situations like this. He figured the best he could do was wait and let Harry work through things.

A few minutes later, Harry sighed and rose from the floor. "Let's start looking around," he said, "and try to find whatever it is this key opens."

Harry, Ron and Hermione then set to work, exploring the inside and outside of the Potter's cottage. After a while, they found themselves talking and joking as though the work they were doing was something they did everyday and not something that may hold the key to the future of the Wizarding world.

A shout went up from what used to be James and Lily's room. Hermione had been rifling through drawers and cupboards, trying desperately to not think about how eerie it was to be going through Harry's parent's things seventeen years after they had died. That was when she had come across a small, ornately carved wooden box. It had a small lock on the front, just about the same size as the key that RAB, whoever he was, had sent Harry.

After Hermione had shouted out, Ron and Harry ran out of the rooms they had been investigating and rushed into the master bedroom. "Did you find something, 'Mione?" Ron asked breathlessly.

"Here, Harry," she said, handing the book to him. "Maybe the key will fit in there. It looks to be the same size."

Harry fished the key out of the pocket of his jeans and slowly placed it in the keyhole. He turned the key and heard the lock click open. Glancing nervously at Ron and Hermione, who were both holding their breath, Harry slowly opened the box to reveal a locket on a gold chain.

A/N: I felt like it took a really long time for them to get to Godric's Hollow. Kind of how it took me a really long time to write this chapter! Life is crazy, that's the only excuse I have. Next chapter: Harry has to figure out what the locket is and what to do with it, Ginny deals with life at Hogwarts without the trio, and Harry, Ron and Hermione set off on the rest of their journey.


	4. At The Beginning

_Edits: 06/07/08_

A/N: Lots of Ginny this chapter; I couldn't seem to just completely leave her out and so ended up with five pages with her. I tried my hand at a new Sorting Hat song…it started out rhyming and didn't quite end that way. Just pretend it's as good as JKR's.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Harry Potter, any subsequent characters or plot devices. Those belong to JK Rowling, Scholastic Books and Bloomsbury Publishing.

"Mum, stop crying," Ginny looked around in embarrassment. In the hustle and bustle of King's Cross station, it was likely that no one had notice the spectacle of Molly Weasley sobbing into her daughter's shoulder, but Ginny felt uncomfortable all the same.

Mrs. Weasley withdrew herself from Ginny's embrace and sniffed, wiping at her teary eyes. "I'm sorry dear. I never thought it would be this hard to send you away. And now that Ron's gone…It's been a long time since I've sent only one of my children to school before."

"It'll be okay, Mum. I'll be fine."

"I know, dear," Molly nodded, her tears now reduced to sniffles. "Just promise me that you will be careful."

Ginny smiled ruefully. "Well, seeing as how I don't have any books or diaries that could control my mind, and Harry is gone, I don't think there's a whole lot of trouble I can possibly get into."

"I love you, Ginny."

Giving her one last hug, Ginny whispered back, "I love you, too. I'll see you at Christmas. Maybe we can all be home."

Molly smiled and shook her head. "It would be nice, but not very likely. There will be more Christmases. Now, get on the train before it leaves without you."

Ginny hadn't even noticed, but the clock was currently blinking 10:58 and the train left at 11:00 on the dot. "Bye, Mum, love you!" She shouted as she ran towards the barrier, her cart bouncing dangerously along in front of her. Ginny boarded the train in record time and immediately began looking for a seat. Without her brother, Harry or Hermione there, she was going to have to find somebody else to sit with.

After dragging her trunk through a few different cars, Ginny finally caught sight of Neville and Luna playing a game of Exploding Snap. No one else was in there with them, so Ginny knocked on the door and slid it open with difficulty. Neville and Luna turned and jumped up to help her, their game sparking and smoking as they did so.

"Hi, Ginny," Luna smiled benignly at the red-head. Ginny was one of the few people who didn't look at Luna like she had grown a second head, and for that, Luna really was grateful.

Ginny smiled warmly at her Ravenclaw friend. "Hey, Luna. How was your summer?"

"Mmm, it was good. Daddy thought he saw a Crumple-Horned Snorcack, but it ended up just being a funny looking goose," she replied matter-of-factly. This was a typical response from Luna and those who knew her well knew not to question her.

Ginny and Neville simply exchanged glances and smiled fondly Luna. "Really? That's too bad it really wasn't one."

"Well, he wasn't even in the right region to see one anyway," Luna informed them, completely serious, "so it's not very surprising. Where are your other friends?"

Ginny blinked, momentarily confused by Luna's complete turn of phrase. "Oh! Sorry, you meant Ron, Harry and Hermione. They decided not to come back this year."

"No Dumbledore, no Harry," Neville shook his head sadly. "No one is going to feel safe at Hogwarts anymore."

"McGonagall's still there though," Luna reminded them. "She probably isn't nearly as powerful as Dumbledore, but she'll do her best I'm sure. And the other Heads of House are there too."

"I'm not so sure," Ginny replied, shaking her head. "Snape is gone, obviously, and Professors Flitwick and Sprout don't really strike me as the intimidating types. They may be powerful, but something tells me that Voldemort would probably best the both of them. I have a feeling that Hogwarts is going to be pretty empty this year."

At this point, the kindly witch serving treats pushed the cart to their compartment. "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

Neville fished in his pockets and pulled out a handful of galleons and knuts. "A couple Chocolate Frogs, some Licorice Wands, and," he turned back to the girls, "you two want anything?"

"Some Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans would be fine," Ginny answered and Luna shook her head.

"And some Every-Flavor Beans." Neville handed the witch the money and tossed the Every-Flavor Beans to Ginny. Taking a seat, he looked round at the red-head. "Do you really think a lot of people won't come back?"

Ginny nodded her eyes wide. "My dad's been in contact with McGonagall, for Order business, and she told him that they're thinking about combining Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff because so many students wrote back to say they weren't coming back. Apparently, most of the Slytherins are returning, probably just to show how glad they are that Dumbledore's gone." At this, Ginny rolled her eyes in disgust. "And aside from Harry, Ron and Hermione, nearly all of Gryffindor house is full. Guess that goes to show just how brave we are."

Neville smirked. "Brave. Or stupid."

"It's good that you can finally admit that, Longbottom." A silky, smooth voice suddenly entered the conversation. "They say that the first step to getting over a problem is admitting you have one."

The three friends looked up and were unpleasantly surprised to find Draco accompanied by Crabbe and Goyle. "Get bent, Draco," Ginny fired back at him.

"And Weasel junior comes out swinging," the blonde taunted. "What's the matter, Longbottom, you need a girl to fight for you?"

Neville blushed and stared at the ground momentarily. But to everyone's great surprise, he rose from his seat and looked Draco in the eye, squaring his jaw. "Get out. Now."

"Why should I?" Draco shot back, but he didn't seem as cocky now.

"Your precious Professor Snape can't save you anymore, Malfoy. You start any trouble and there is no one to defend you. Can you deal with that?"

A moment of indecision flashed across steel gray eyes. Malfoy turned back to his cronies, shoving them out the door. "Let's go. They're not worth our time." And the door slammed shut behind them.

Ginny and Luna stared incredulously at their friend. "Neville, that was amazing!" Ginny congratulated him. "You really stood up to him!"

Neville shrugged, sitting back down. "I'm just so tired of him picking on people all the time. And with You-Know-Who back, Malfoy just doesn't see so intimidating anymore."

"I wonder what he was doing here," Luna mused absently playing with her radish earrings.

Ginny turned and frowned at her. "What do you mean, Luna? Why wouldn't Malfoy be here?"

"Yeah," Neville agreed. "Malfoy always makes a point to bother us on the train to Hogwarts. It's practically tradition."

"No, that's not what I meant," Luna tried to explain, shaking her head. "The last we knew, Draco and Professor Snape were fleeing Hogwarts after Professor Dumbledore had been murdered. Shouldn't Draco be on the run?"

Ginny stared at her eccentric friend open-mouthed, unable to come up with a plausible answer. What _was_ Draco Malfoy doing back at Hogwarts if he was a known accomplice in the murder of Albus Dumbledore?

Before Ginny could voice her agreement, Luna looked out the window, commenting, "I think we're nearly there. Maybe we should get into our robes?"

Ginny and Neville nodded their agreement and the three friends quietly prepared for their arrival in Hogsmeade station. Ginny wondered if there would be many first years taking the boats with Hagrid this year.

Twenty minutes later, the train came to a halt in front of the train station and both new and returning Hogwarts students slowly shuffled their way onto the platform. Ginny waved at Hagrid, who called out, as he did every year, "Firs' years over here!" Only a smattering of children scrambled over to him, looking up in awe at the half-giant.

Ginny, Neville and Luna all made their way to the carriages, all three of them now able to see the thestrals. Ginny shuddered; their appearance was quite chilling. "I would give anything for those things to be invisible again," she whispered to Neville who gave her a knowing glance. They all would prefer to not see these eerie horse-like creatures.

After they had settled in, the carriages started off along the road looking very much like an abstract funeral procession. The gray skies above them only served to emphasize the feeling that they were all headed to their doom. Normally, Hogwarts, although massive in size, induced a feeling of calm in Ginny. Now that Dumbledore was dead and Harry, Ron and Hermione gone, she couldn't shake this feeling of foreboding.

The feeling wouldn't subside even as they entered the Great Hall. Students sat at their House tables, not daring to speak above a whisper. The head table was quiet as well; Professor McGonagall took her usual place to the right of the Headmaster's seat. It seemed that she could not bring herself to take her rightful place of honor and so she had decided to continue to sit in her usual spot. Snape was, of course, no where to be seen. This made Ginny indescribably happy as she didn't know what she would do had the slimy git shown his face.

Now that McGonagall was Headmistress, it was up to Professor Flitwick to lead in the first years who looked around in awe. Neville smiled as he saw a few pointing at the ceiling and even heard one explain that it was enchanted. Clearly, they had another Hermione on their hands.

Professor Flitwick set the Sorting Hat on the stool and to the clear astonishment of the first years, it opened its mouth and began to sing.

"Many centuries ago, when I was made anew

Four Founders set out to educate

Young witches and wizards like you

These hearts they began to motivate

Into four houses they divided

By their own individuality

Each one to stand united

And all maintain their quality

Godric Gryffindor was brave

His brother, Salazar Slytherin astute

Helena Hufflepuff loyal and true

Rowena Ravenclaw clever and wise

My job, as I now regret,

Is to place you in your House

But this warning for you I set

For we are stronger together than apart

Even though I must divide you

Divided we now stand and divided we will fall

So stand strong, you proud; you few

And perhaps we will continue to stand tall."

A slight smattering of applause filled the Great Hall; no one quite sure how to react. The Hat must have felt it important to tell them all to stick together again this year. So as not prolong the silence, Professor Flitwick began calling out the names of the first years. One by one, they sat on the stool with the Hat placed on their heads and waited to be sorted. To Ginny and Neville's surprise, the majority of the first years ended up in Gryffindor, while Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw only welcomed a few and Slytherin didn't have any.

After the Sorting was completed, Professor McGonagall rose from her seat, clapping her hands briskly. All conversation ceased immediately. "Welcome," she began, "to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before we begin to enjoy this lovely meal, there are some matters that need our attention. First and foremost, after the events of last year, I will be taking the position of Headmistress in addition to my duties as the head of Gryffindor house and Professor Flitwick will be Deputy Headmaster. The new Head of Slytherin will be Professor Sinistra who will also be taking over as Potions Mistress until we find a permanent replacement. And we welcome a new face to the faculty once again this year to the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor; Michael Gannon." At this, she gestured to a handsome young man sitting on the far left of the table. All of the girls gave him an appreciative glance, causing him to glance down at the table and blush.

"Hopefully he'll last longer than the year," Ginny whispered to the two first year girls sitting next to her.

"We must, as usual, wrap up with a few last minute orders of business," McGonagall continued. "The list of forbidden objects can be obtained by asking Mr. Filch. Spells are not to be performed in the hallways between classes. All students must be in their dorms by seven o'clock each evening, unless accompanied by an adult. And, as continued from last year, there will be no Hogsmeade visits until the threat has passed. That is all. Tuck in!"

_Godric's Hollow_

Hermione gaped at the locket in disbelief. She, Ron and Harry were sitting at a dilapidated kitchen table, trying to figure out what was going on. The locket hung from Harry's outstretched hand, suspended in midair, twirling and catching the light as it did so. "That's not—"

Harry nodded slowly, barely taking his eyes off of it. "I think it might be. But how did it end up with my Mum's stuff?"

No one had an answer for this. Why would Lily Potter have one of Voldemort's horcruxes in her possession? If, indeed, that was what it was. This was an incredibly dark magical object and it's presence in the Potter's home was highly suspicious. The only problem was, they didn't know who to be suspicious of.

"Is there a way to find out if it's even what we're looking for?" Ron asked, also frowning at the object with some concern. "I mean, maybe it's just what it looks like. A locket."

"Why would RAB send me that key then?" Harry protested. "It has to be the horcrux Dumbledore and I had been looking for. I just want to know why it's here."

Hermione fingered the locket gently, looking very lost in thought. "You know, Harry, just because it's here now doesn't mean it was here before."

Harry looked at her, surprised. He hadn't thought of that possibility. This was why they had Hermione around. "That's something to consider," he responded slowly.

Ron; however, merely looked at them in confusion. "You mean somebody planted it?"

"Somebody, perhaps," Hermione nodded, "or maybe RAB, whoever he is, put it here, knowing that Harry would come back one day. We don't know how long it's been here. He could have been here a week ago for all we know."

The sound of wood scraping wood interrupted the conversation and Ron and Hermione jumped at the sound. Harry placed the locket back in its box and carefully shut and locked it. "I think this is a mystery for another time. We need to figure out how to destroy it and then devise a plan for finding the rest of the horcruxes. Hermione, start researching; Ron, I want you to start coming up with a strategy for us."

"Me?"

"It's time to put those chess skills to better use, Ron. You're a talented wizard; it's just that you haven't been able to work to your potential. There's no pressure from professors here."

"No," Ron paled slightly, "just the entire Wizarding world if I mess this up."

Hermione took his hand reassuringly. "You won't."

Looking at their intertwined hands, Ron blushed and pulled away quickly. After his 'relationship' with Lavender last year, he was a little shy about physical contact. "Thanks," he said softly.

Harry cleared his throat, causing them to turn their attention back to him. "Shall we get to work then?"

"Er, Harry," Hermione began, "not to be difficult, but where exactly do you suggest I start researching? It isn't as though this place is teeming with books and information. Especially on the Dark Arts."

"Think, Hermione. Where would you begin to research something in the Dark Arts?" Harry smiled patiently at her, much like a teacher who was waiting for a student to come up with the answer on her own.

After a moment, her hazel eyes grew wide with realization. "Oh!"

"What did I miss?" Ron looked back and forth between the two of them.

"While I'm pretty sure that we've gotten rid of all of the Dark Arts objects, Number 12 Grimmauld Place seems like it might be a good place to start," Harry explained. "Remus told me that there's a library of sorts down in the basement that no one has gotten to yet to clean out. Why don't you Floo over there, Hermione, and see what you can find. I told Remus I would be sending someone over eventually so someone will be expecting you."

"Couldn't I just Apparate?"

"Not a great idea. Tonks and Shacklebolt just added to the security at headquarters and they put up anti-Apparition wards. You'll be better off Flooing. Besides, that was the method of transportation I told Remus we would be using."

"Right then," Hermione pushed her chair away from the table and stood, Ron following suit. "I'll need to get my bag and then I'll be off." She walked briskly out of the kitchen, leaving Ron and Harry together.

"What are you going to do then?" Ron looked at Harry curiously.

Harry smiled grimly. "I will be preparing."

"For?"

"The inevitable."


	5. One Step at a Time

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Harry Potter or any subsequent plotlines or characters. Everything belongs to JK Rowling, Scholastic Books Inc, and Bloomsbury Publishing. The only thing that belongs to me is whatever comes out of my brain…

The members of the Order were going to be mad. No, not mad, furious. They were going to be furious. Arabella had only left her post for a day. Just one day, and now the Dursley's were dead. She shuddered and hurried away from Number Four, Privet Drive, looking over her shoulder at the Dark Mark looming overhead.

Arabella had just returned from visiting her sick sister in London and had immediately noticed the Mark over Harry's relative's home. She had started running towards the house, slowing down only when she noticed the front door was wide open. Either the Death Eaters had been sloppy and just left it opened when they had gone, or they were still there. She had to exercise caution.

Rather than going inside, Arabella had gone home and sent a message to the Order, requesting immediate assistance. Because she was a Squib, she couldn't utilize the Order's much quicker method of communication and had to rely on owl post. Now all she could do was wait. Three hours later of just sitting in her dark kitchen, and no one had responded.

"I hope someone arrives soon," she murmured to the empty kitchen. Even the cats were nowhere to be seen. Now back in the safety of her own home, Arabella felt slightly calmer. But not much. Poor Harry! She wondered if he knew.

"Arabella?" A voice came softly from the front door.

She jumped at the sound. It had been so quiet.

"Who's there?"

There was a pause. "It's Arthur and Charlie Weasley."

"I'm in the kitchen."

Moments later, two red-haired men poked their heads around the door. "You all right, there, Mrs. Figg?" Charlie Weasley asked with concern.

She stood up to greet them. "I'm fine. Although I can't say the same for that poor boy's family." At this, Mrs. Figg looked up at Arthur in wide-eyed realization of what she had just said. "Oh! I didn't mean…"

Arthur shook his head, waving the statement away while Charlie just smiled graciously. "Not to worry, Mrs. Figg. Shall we go investigate, then?"

"Do…do you need me to accompany you or can the two of you go it alone? I'm afraid I won't be of much help." Mrs. Figg looked sheepishly at her worn linoleum floor.

"If you would prefer to stay behind, Charlie and I are more than capable of checking things out."

She nodded, casting them both a grateful smile. "If you can stay, when you're finished that is, I have some tea and biscuits."

"That would be wonderful," Arthur began.

"But we're wanted back at Headquarters as soon as possible," Charlie finished apologetically.

This news did not faze Mrs. Figg in the least. Instead, she briskly stood up and began gathering biscuits into a container and pressed them into the younger Weasley's hands. "Then take these with you. Merlin knows I don't need all of them!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Figg," Charlie accepted the biscuits and put them in the pocket of his robes.

Arthur held out a hand which Mrs. Figg shook gently. "We really must be off. Get some rest, Arabella."

"Yes, of course. Although I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to sleep." She smiled at them sadly. "Thank you both for coming."

A moment later and they had apparated away.

The door to the Dursley's home was still wide open when Arthur and Charlie apparated onto the front step. "This place is becoming too familiar," Arthur shook his head as he carefully stepped inside, wand held out in front of him.

Charlie, following suit, came in close behind him. "You were just here a few days ago, weren't you?"

"To fetch Harry, yes." Arthur paused, turning to look at his son. "Truth be told, I never really liked the Dursley's. The way they treated Harry was simply appalling, but I didn't feel as though I could do or say anything that would help."

"You opened our home to him. I'm sure that meant more to Harry than he would ever tell any of us."

"_Lumos_." The light at the end of Arthur's wand shone into the darkness, casting an eerie glow over the Dursley family. The two Weasley men shuddered simultaneously as they viewed the bodies of Vernon, Petunia and Dudley, all either draped awkwardly over the stairs, or in Dudley's case, lying on his back staring straight at the ceiling with an expression of utmost horror. "You're right; Harry isn't very forthcoming about his feelings, is he?"

"Not particularly," Charlie shook his head, surveying the bodies. "The Killing Curse, then?"

"It looks like they were all scared to death, so I would imagine so. I just wish I knew what had happened after the fact."

Walking around the living room, Charlie lightly ran a hand over the mantel above the fireplace. "Nothing has been disturbed. It's all in perfect order."

"So they came, killed them, sent up the Dark Mark and left? That seems a little off," Arthur mused.

"What do you mean? It seems very characteristic of them."

"We're talking about Harry Potter's family. I would have expected them to at least have tortured them for quite some time, if only for entertainment." Arthur gave the room one final glance before looking at his second eldest. "I believe we have all the information we need. We should get back to headquarters and report our findings." A moment later all that was left in the dark, cold house were the lifeless bodies of the family who had caused Harry so much turmoil.

Hermione grunted as she rolled clumsily out of the fire place at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. "I hate Floo," she muttered crossly, picking herself up and brushing off her robes.

"Hello, Hermione," a friendly voice greeted her from the door. Remus Lupin stood against the doorframe, smiling kindly.

"Professor! You startled me!"

Still smiling, he responded, "Hermione, really. How many times do I have to say it? I'm not your professor any longer. Remus will do just fine."

Stammering, Hermione looked down at the hem of her robes. "I-I know. I'm just not used to calling adults by their first names. Especially my teachers."

"Understandable. However, you are an adult yourself, are you not?"

"I keep forgetting," she admitted sheepishly.

They stood there in awkward silence for a moment before Hermione spoke up. "I suppose I should get to work then."

"Of course. I've pulled a few books from the Black family, er, more obscure collection. That should get you started on what you're looking for, but let me know if you need further assistance." He paused, then, "Would you like to work in here or someplace less…musty?"

Hermione laughed. The room was indeed dark and musty smelling. It reminded her of the basement at her grandmother's old house, although that didn't have the distinct feeling of dread and horror that this room did. "Someplace brighter would be nice. If we could avoid going past the portrait of Mrs. Black however, that would be superb."

Remus' eyes twinkled. "Didn't I tell you? We took her down."

"How? I thought she had put a Sticking Charm on it!"

"We got creative. Fred and George have amazing minds when they're allowed to really put their inventive skills to use."

"Don't I know it," Hermione muttered, thinking of the little bit of swamp that had stayed in the halls of Hogwarts after the twins had left. "Well, then, shall we?"

"Indeed, milady," Remus offered his arm, which Hermione took, and they set off for the library upstairs. "I'd almost forgotten. We've hired a new house elf."

She looked hurt; almost offended. "You didn't! You know how I feel about that!"

"Calm down, Hermione. I think you'll be rather pleased, actually."

"What do you mean?"

"Just wait," he told her mysteriously as he pulled open the heavy oak door to reveal a rather extensive library.

Hermione breathed in deeply, enjoying the smell of old books permeating the room. She moved into the library, turning around slowly as she took in the volumes that went as high as the ceiling. "Don't tell Harry I ever said anything positive about this place, but this library is amazing!"

Remus chuckled. "Your secret's safe with me. Now, the books I found are all over on the table over there and Winky will get you whatever you need."

Hermione started walking slowly towards the table and stood there, her hands resting lightly on top of the pile of books. "Thanks, Remus. This should give me a good…Hang on. Did you say Winky?" She spun around on her heel and stared at the older man.

Remus nodded. "Winky?"

A small, awkward looking creature appeared before them, bowing low, her ears flattening as they hit the floor. "Yes, Master Remus?" she squeaked softly.

Hermione's hand rose to cover her mouth in disbelief. This did not look at all like the Winky she had seen in the Hogwarts' kitchens, sobbing uncontrollably and stumbling drunkenly from too much butterbeer. No, this Winky was dressed in a crisp white tea towel and appeared to be completely sober. Most importantly, her eyes were dry.

Remus crouched down so that he was directly in front of the house elf. "Winky, do you remember Hermione Granger?"

Winky looked up at Hermione who smiled gently and gave a tiny wave in greeting. "You is friends with Harry Potter, Miss."

"That's right, Winky," Hermione encouraged. "How have you been?"

"Winky is much happier working with Master Remus, but I am not liking getting compensation." She looked down at her over-sized feet nervously.

Hermione looked at Remus again, surprised and delighted. "You're paying her?"

"I told you that you would be pleased. Now, if you need anything at all, Winky will be happy to get it for you."

"I'll be just fine, thank you, Winky," Hermione told the house elf kindly. Winky bowed low once more then disappeared with a loud crack. "I'm so glad you're paying her, Remus. More people need to start doing that."

"Unfortunately, most wizards still see house elves as servants or slaves, to be quite frank. I personally think you have the right idea, Hermione, I just think it's going to take a long time to start the revolution. Let's just be happy with the small victories, like Dobby and now Winky."

Hermione nodded silently, her lips pressed together as she moved to one side of the table. She pulled the chair out, sat down, and opened the first book. The print was tiny and partially smudged and Hermione sighed, rubbing her eyes. It was going to be a long day.

"Shall I leave you to it, then? Or would you like some company?"

She looked up at him gratefully. "Another set of eyes would be wonderful, actually. I have a feeling this may take a while."

Remus took the next book in the pile and opened it, holding the ancient tome gently in his lap. They fell into a comfortable silence; the only sounds were that of their breathing and turning pages. Several hours later, Hermione looked up from the book she had been reading and wearily rubbed her eyes. Looking toward the window, she blinked disbelievingly. "Is it really almost dark?" She mused aloud, for indeed dusk had fallen over Number 12 Grimmauld place, giving the sky an eerily orange glow.

Remus looked up at the window as well. "It certainly seems that way. Would you like to take a break and eat something?"

"I don't know," she looked guiltily at the stack of books before them. "I don't like to leave things unfinished."

"Yes, but if you don't get some nourishment, you won't be able to concentrate," Remus countered. "Come on, I'll have Winky bring up some sandwiches for us."

Hermione shook her head. "If it's all the same, I'd rather do it myself. I don't like the idea of that poor creature doing things that I could very well do for myself."

"Even though she's getting paid for it," he asked inquisitively.

"Exactly."

Remus shrugged as though to say 'suit yourself' and pushed away from the table, stretching as he stood. "Well, I don't know about you, but I am hungry and if you would like to join me in the kitchen for some dinner, you are more than welcome."

Hermione gave one last glance at the books then stood as well, deciding that there would be time later to come back and research some more. Getting sustenance was just as important as reading these books because, as Remus had said, she would have no hope of concentrating on anything without something in her very empty stomach. They walked to the door and as Remus shut it, Hermione's stomach gave very loud evidence of just how hungry she was.

"Hungry?" The older man looked at her, amused.

Rubbing her stomach, Hermione rolled her eyes. "Apparently. How about those sandwiches?"

"Coming right up."

They set off for the kitchen, talking and laughing along the way, Hermione's stomach interjecting with its rumbles and growls occasionally.

Upon arriving in the kitchen, they heard two men's voices discussing something inside. When Hermione opened the door, she was delighted to see Mr. Weasley and one of Ron's older brothers, Charlie. Both men turned their attention to the door and smiled at the intruders.

"Remus, Hermione, good to see you," Arthur greeted them.

"Hello Arthur," Remus replied, extending his hand to Charlie. "Haven't seen you lately, Charlie; how have you been?"

Charlie glanced at his father and shrugged. "Doing alright, I suppose." He looked quizzically at Hermione who was hanging back by the door. "How are you, Hermione?"

"Oh!" Startled, she looked over the very handsome young man. "Hungry, actually. We came down to get some food before we continue researching."

"Just what are the two of you researching," Arthur asked, curiosity bright in his eyes.

Deciding to come over and join the three older men, Hermione told him, "How to destroy horcruxes."

Remus smiled grimly as Arthur and Charlie looked at her in shock. "She isn't one to beat around the bush, is she? Harry, Ron and Hermione believe that they have found one of Voldemort's horcruxes and they need to learn how to destroy it."

"Even if you did find out the proper method," Charlie mused, "would any of you have the power to perform the spell? I saw Dumbledore's hand after he demolished that first one last year."

"That actually wasn't the first one," Hermione corrected him, "but that's beside the point. I think it depends on if there's anything protecting the horcrux. Somebody found this one already and planted it at Godric's Hollow. It's the one that Harry and professor Dumbledore thought they had found the night the Headmaster died. As far as the ritual itself being too difficult, I suppose we shall cross that bridge when we come to it." She looked at the two Weasleys curiously. "What are the two of you doing here? Not that I'm displeased to see either of you."

Arthur exchanged glances with his son before responding. "You might as well here this from us rather than the Prophet."

Hermione groaned. "Oh, Merlin, what have they printed about Harry this time?"

"It's not about Harry, directly," Charlie tried to reassure her. "But it is about his family."

"I'm sorry?"

Arthur sighed. "Shortly after Ron and I left with Harry, from what we can surmise anyhow, the Dursley's were attacked and killed by some Death Eaters."

Hermione gasped, her hand covering her open mouth in shock. Then, she frowned in concern as something occurred to her. "Had the Prophet gotten wind of this yet?"

Arthur shook his head. "We're keeping it fairly quiet right now."

"Good," Hermione nodded her agreement. "I don't want Harry finding out like that. I know he was particularly close to them, but they were his family."

"Will you tell him, Hermione?" Charlie asked her. "Dad and I could, but he knows you. He might take it better if it came from you."

"I'll tell him as soon as I get back. In the mean time, I have more research to do. If you will all excuse me," Hermione took her plate and pushed through the door, leaving the men in the kitchen in silence.


	6. Burn Out Bright

A/N: So it's been what? Months since I last updated? My deepest apologies to anyone who might have wanted something sooner. Lot's of stuff with the trio in this chapter and a little Death Eater action as well…enjoy and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own or thereby claim the rights to Harry Potter and subsequent characters, plots, etc. These all belong to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic Books, and Warner Bros.

Chapter 6:

Harry sat quietly at the kitchen table, re-reading the letter Ginny had sent him earlier that morning. Next to the letter lay a copy of that days' Daily Prophet, with a blurry photograph of Number 4 Privet Drive and the Dark Mark hanging menacingly above the house. Ginny had sent the Prophet to him; the letter accompanying it was her way of warning him against its contents.

_**The Boy-Who-Lived Loses Remaining Family to Death Eaters**_

_By, Rita Skeeter_

_ Harry Potter, more affectionately known as the Boy-Who-Lived, lost his Muggle relatives to You-Know-Who's followers last Friday evening. Petunia Dursley, sister to the late Lily Potter, her husband, Vernon, and son, Dudley fell victim to the killing curse after the Death Eaters apparated outside of their home in Surrey in Little Whinging; they were found dead shortly thereafter by a neighboring Squib who noticed the Dark Mark above the Dursley's home. Sources confirm that our Mr. Potter had left only moments before with Mr. Arthur Weasley of the Ministry of Magic and had no idea of the incident. Our thoughts are with you, Harry Potter._

Harry buried his head in his hands, releasing a pent up breath. How much more was Voldemort going to throw at him? Sure, he never really liked the Dursley's (and when hadn't he been trying to think of ways to scare them with his 'abnormality'?), but he'd never wished them dead. He sat there in the kitchen with his head on the table for nearly an hour before Ron walked in quietly, as though not to interrupt him. The sound of dishes clanging on the counter pulled Harry from his reverie.

"Hey, Ron," he greeted his friend despondently.

"It's good you're so excited to see me," Ron half-joked as he poured himself a bowl of cereal.

Harry shrugged despondently and glanced down at the table. "Sorry, I'm just--," he pointed at the paper which Ron picked up as he sat down with Harry.

After he had finished reading the article, Ron looked over at Harry, his eyes as wide as saucers. "Man. You okay?"

"I honestly don't know," Harry replied. "It's certainly no secret to you that I couldn't stand the lot of them…but, I don't know. I never had a death wish for them either." He looked at Ron, his gaze steely and his jaw set in firm resolve. "Voldemort thinks he's making me weaker by killing my family; the people I care about. But he's dead wrong."

"What do you mean?"

When Harry next spoke, it was in a soft, yet determined, voice. "He's only making me stronger. He's only adding fuel to the fire. I will find those horcruxes and I will destroy them and then I will hunt him down and finish him once and for all."

Ron met his best friend's eyes, the intensity in his gaze matching that of Harry's. "Can I watch?"

In that moment, Harry knew that no matter how hard he tried to send Ron and Hermione away, it would never happen. They would be there until the very end, no matter what the end result. He feared that they would end up like so many others before them who had cared for him, but they knew the risk. And they were willing to take it. For that, Harry was eternally grateful. "I would be offended if you weren't there with me every step of the way," he told Ron, as serious as he had ever been about this topic. "I couldn't have gotten this far without you and 'Mione."

At this, Ron wiped an imaginary tear from his eye and sniffed. "Stop, I have to maintain my manly image, you know."

"Your what?" A voice came in through the door behind them and the boys both jumped out of their seats. "I wasn't aware that you had a manly image to maintain."

"Hermione!' Harry rushed over to her, eager to hear what she had found out. "What can you tell us?"

The busy haired witch huffed indignantly and crossed her arms over her chest. "What? No, 'Hello, Hermione? How are you, Hermione? We missed you, Hermione?' I tell you, some people are so rude."

Harry and Ron turned to look at each other then back at their friend. As one, they chimed, "Hello, Hermione. How are you, Hermione? We missed you, Hermione."

Grinning, Hermione reached for them and pulled them both into a hug. "Now, that's more like it! Come, let's sit down and I'll tell you what I know. It really isn't much, but I know a lot more about the horcrux than I ever wanted to."

They made their way to the kitchen table (Headquarters, as Harry was beginning to call it in his mind) and sat down, Harry at the head and Hermione and Ron on either side of the table.

Suddenly, Ron's head jerked towards Hermione as though he had just realized something. "Hey!"

The other two looked at him in confusion. "Hey?" Harry asked, looking at his friend as if he had just grown a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

Ron nodded emphatically. "Yeah, hey. She insulted me!"

Hermione rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "Oh, now he notices," she mouthed to it quietly. "You're a quick one, Ronald."

Harry hid a quick grin under his hand and shook his head. "All right, you two, break it up. You can pick on each other another time. I want to hear what Hermione has found out."

At this, the aforementioned witch dug into her knapsack and pulled out several large volumes all dealing with the Dark Arts. "Believe me when I say I do not like carrying these around with me," she told them both seriously. "I feel like I'm going to be arrested or something. However, they have been most enlightening."

Ron and Harry stared intently at her, then at the books on the table. The house seemed to grow darker the moment Hermione had set them out, but perhaps Harry was just imagining things.

The first book she opened bore the title, "History of Darkest Magic's". It had been written by Salazar Slytherin himself. "This one gives suggestions as to what can be used as a horcrux. Slytherin generally advised against using living beings; however, he said it can be done in extreme circumstances."

Harry nodded at this. It seemed to be in agreement with what Dumbledore had said about Nagini being a possible horcrux; living beings were generally unpredictable and hard to control. "What else?"

"There's no documentation here on how to destroy one; only that it depends on the object that is used. Simply smashing it won't do it, according to this book here which is all about separating ones soul."

Indeed, the next book that she placed in front of them was entitled, "Horcuxes and You." Harry and Ron both scoffed at this to which Hermione grinned. "I know. That's what I thought as well. However, you'd be amazed at what I learned from this book. Most Dark Wizards don't advertise the different ways to destroy one of these things, which isn't all that surprising when you think about it. Whoever wrote this must have recognized the risk in creating a horcrux, and felt it would be to the advantage of the wizard creating it to know that it can be destroyed."

"What good does that do?" Ron asked, confusion passing over his freckled features. "So, You-Know-Who creates this horcrux; why would he want to know how to destroy it?"

"So he can protect it," Harry jumped in. "If he knows how it can be destroyed, he knows what wards and protection charms to place on it." He looked at Hermione for affirmation, which he received in a firm nod. Continuing, he sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, remembering his expedition with Dumbledore. "When the Headmaster and I went to search for the locket in the caves, Voldemort had placed the locket at the bottom of this basin that was filled with some sort of liquid. You couldn't touch it with your hands to simply lift the locket out, but he had left a cup so you could drink the liquid."

"I have a feeling this wasn't just water," Hermione whispered softly.

Harry shook his head. "No. It was poison. Dumbledore knew that it had to be, but he also knew that he would have to drink it all and he made me promise…." Here he stopped, trying desperately to fight back the tide of emotions rising in his throat, causing it to constrict. "I had to make him drink it all, no matter what it did to him."

His two best friends looked at him, horrified. "What did it do to him?" Ron also whispered, rather hoarsely.

"He wasn't himself. He was scared. I have never, in six years, seen Professor Dumbledore frightened of anything and now he was weeping like a child. I felt so guilty for pouring that poison down his throat, and I lied to him about it. I told him that he would feel better after he drank it." Harry's head dropped to the table, unable to tell anymore.

Hermione stood up to kneel beside him and placed her hands on his, taking them into her own. "Harry, listen to me. I know you feel terrible about what happened, but you're not responsible for his death. He knew the risks and he knew that you couldn't drink it."

Harry's voiced was so quiet when he next answered that even Hermione had to strain to hear him. Ron simply looked on, feeling helpless once more in matters of emotions and grief. "But if he hadn't taken it, he would have been strong enough to fight Malfoy and Snape. And that's why it's my fault he's dead. I should have been more insistent that I drink it and not him."

"Your life can't be forfeit, though Harry. On some level, I think Dumbledore knew what was going to happen that night and he needed to sacrifice himself for you. It doesn't hurt any less, I know. But he opened the door for you to finish what he started. And that's what we're doing."

Harry squeezed her hands and sat up, smiling shakily at Ron. "You good, mate?" The red-head asked quietly.

"Not really. But I think I will be."

Ron nodded, understanding this, and looked back at Hermione who had opened "Horcruxes and You". "What else do you know?"

"There is good news," she began. "Because the locket that you and Dumbledore found was a fake, Harry, that means that RAB, whoever he is, already removed the charms placed on the actual horcrux and that makes it easier to destroy. There is a spell to remove any hidden protection, but ultimately, you just have to smash it, or something."

Harry and Ron gaped at her in disbelief. "It's that simple? Are you serious, Hermione?"

She bent over the book and traced her finger along the margin. After a moment of scanning through it, she looked up at the two of them. "Essentially, yes. That's all there it to it. Articles such as jewelry are fairly simple to destroy once you get passed all the other stuff."

"Do you have the spell?"

Hermione nodded, her bushy hair bouncing around her shoulders. "It's a simple reveal spell."

"Ron, go get the locket," Harry told him gravely. "We're doing this now."

"Are you sure, Harry?" Asked Hermione with concern as Ron stood up to do as Harry had asked. "Don't you want to find out why it was in this house?"

"No, Hermione, I really don't. I just want to get rid of it. We can research that at another time. Ron, go get it."

After Ron had hurried out of the kitchen, Hermione looked at Harry soberly. "You are absolutely positive you want to do this now? We don't know if it's really going to work."

"I have to try, Hermione. Voldemort is getting stronger by the day and sooner I can begin actually destroying these things, the sooner we can be rid of him. It's kill or be killed here and he's got a bit of an advantage on me. We don't have time to wait and see if it's going to work. We have to trust that it will."

Hermione sighed in defeat, knowing she couldn't change his mind. "I just keep thinking about Dumbledore's hand and how dead it looked after he had destroyed the ring. I don't want that to happen to you."

"I can't make any guarantees, Hermione. There's always a risk when you're dealing with the Dark Arts. You know that, Ron knows that and I know that. But it's a risk I have to take. We're not all going to make it in this war. There are going to be wins and losses and we will just have to take them as they come. Today, no matter what happens, is going to be a tiny win for our side."

That moment, Ron came back through the door, the locket held tightly in his right hand. He had paled considerably, once he realized what it was exactly that they were doing. They were going to destroy a piece of somebody's soul. Granted, it was You-Know-Who's soul, but all the same, he felt a bit like a Dementor. Feeling rather sick, Ron dropped the locket into Harry's outstretched hand and sat down hard on the chair he had vacated a few moments before.

Harry toyed with the locket for a minute before looking at the clever witch sitting next to him. "Hermione, what's that spell?"

"Give a second," she choked out nervously, turning the pages and mumbling to herself. "I know it was here. I just can't seem to find things when I really need them…Ah! Here we are." She looked up at Harry. "Rivelare Protectus. Then, once any remaining hexes or anything are shown, the vanishing spell should do it. Usually the final curses are pretty simplistic; it's the initial ones that are the challenge because the wizard who created the horcrux probably figured you'd be dead by now."

Harry nodded and placed the locket on the table, holding his wand out steadily over it. "Here goes nothing," he croaked, grinning lopsidedly at Ron and Hermione. "Maybe you two should stand back, just in case something weird happens." The chairs squeaked noisily on the kitchen floor as they scrambled to get to the other side of the kitchen. "Alright. _Rivelare Protectus!_"

The locket began to glow red and Harry, Ron and Hermione watched in fascination as it rose into the air, the light shining in piercing red beams through the kitchen. Harry morbidly wondered if anyone else could see it, and if they could, what they must have been thinking. Pointing his wand at the locket again, he yelled, "_Evanesco!_"

It dropped suddenly to the table with a clunk, all traces of the red light gone. The trio stood there, motionless, unable to move, breathe or think. When it seemed certain that the locket was dormant, as it were, they all released a pent up sigh of relief.

"That seemed easy enough," Harry grinned in relief. "Now we have to find something to actually destroy it."

"Already thought of it when I went to get the locket," Ron told him moving forward. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a rather large bit of brick that he had found on the bedroom floor. "Try this. You might need to put some force behind it, but it should work."

Harry took the brick into his hand, lightly tossing it into the air, testing its weight. "I think this should do it," he told his friend gratefully. "Stand back," he warned once more, raising his arm into the air. After a moment of hesitation, Harry swung his arm down as forcefully as he could and with a loud crash of brick hitting wood and metal, a blinding green light emitted from underneath the brick, knocking Harry off his feet into the wall.

Ron and Hermione stood on, watching in horror as the light enveloped Harry and he began to produce a wail that pierced their ears and even to the depths of their very souls. The light grew even brighter as Harry's screams grew louder still and Hermione buried her face in Ron's shoulder, sobbing and clutching at his robes.

"Do something!" She screamed at him hysterically. "Help him, oh, help him, please!"

Ron stood there, completely frozen to the spot. He had gone completely blank as he watched this thing destroy his best friend and now Hermione was beating him as if he had been the cause of it. "I don't know what to do!" He yelled over the din of Harry's screams. "I can't do it, Hermione! I don't know how to help him!"

Then, all was quiet. The light faded as did Harry's bellows of pain, but now he had sunk to the floor and slumped forward. Hermione gasped and ran to him, falling to her knees beside him, trying to see if he was still even breathing. To her great relief and joy, his chest rose end fell with the rhythm of his breathing.

"Harry?" She whispered gently. His eyes slowly opened and Hermione was shocked to see that they were an even brighter green than what they had been before.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?" She whispered fearfully.

"Move."

"Move?"

"Yes. Move."

Hermione moved away from him and the next moment, Harry turned and wretched, his stomach heaving as he emptied its contents onto the kitchen floor.

Ron moved towards him and turned slightly green himself as he looked on at his friend getting sicker by the moment. "Is there anything we can do to help him?" He said in a low voice to Hermione.

She shook her head. "I'm no mediwitch. Let's just try to get him to bed. Harry? Do you think you can stand up?"

Harry's head slowly rose and he groaned, pressing his hand to his scar which had somehow split open and was now bleeding profusely. "I don't know," he murmured painfully.

Ron and Hermione went to either side of him, careful to avoid the sick on the floor and placed gradually helped him up. "We'll take it slow," Hermione said quietly. "Just let us know if you need to stop and rest."

Ever so slowly and gently, Ron, Harry, and Hermione walked out of the kitchen. Harry slumped forward, his feet dragging and he would have fallen had it not been for the other two holding him up. Ron looked around Harry's shoulders at Hermione and saw that she was desperately trying to hold back tears.

"Hey," he said, attempting to be comforting. "He'll be okay. He's Harry. He has to be."

Hermione sniffed and stared at the floor. "I don't know. I don't know if I can watch this happen every time he destroys a horcrux."

Ron didn't know how to respond to that. The destruction of the horcruxes was necessary, but he understood. Watching Harry go through that kind of pain was by far the hardest thing he had ever had to do and if he had to watch it multiple times, Ron wondered if he really could handle it. They walked along in silence; the only sound was that of Harry's moans and groans of pain.

They finally reached Harry's parent's bedroom and Ron shifted his weight so he could take the brunt of Harry's battered form and lay him gently on the bed. Hermione picked up Harry's feet and swung his legs around slowly so he was now laying straight out, his head propped up by a few pillows.

"Ron, see what you can find to bandage his scar," she told him in an undertone, trying not to disturb her friend who seemed to have finally calmed down enough. Or he had completely passed out. Either way, they were both extremely grateful that he was getting some rest."

Once Ron had returned with some cloth and tape he had found, he handed it to Hermione and watched silently as she worked to mop up the blood and bandage the scar that had inexplicably split open.

"Why do you think that happened?" Ron gestured to the scar.

Hermione shrugged unknowingly. "I really don't know. I was afraid _something_ was going to happen because it couldn't have been that easy, you know?"

Ron nodded. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

Tears filled Hermione's brown eyes as she looked on at Harry's prone form lying there on the bed. "I don't know, Ron. I just don't know."

_Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire_

Lucius Malfoy laughed maliciously as his companions strode forward with such purpose, blasting everything and everyone out of their way. Merely days before, the Dementors of Azkaban had defected over to the side of the Dark Lord and now the wizarding prison lay almost completely empty. Once they had returned to the side of their Lord, they had been given orders to destroy this quaint little town.

Lucius and Bellatrix had discussed this move, away from the eyes and ears of the other Death Eaters. They had both wondered why exactly the Dark Lord was so insistent about the birthplace of William Shakespeare being demolished. However, they knew that to question the orders of their Lord would be to forfeit their lives and so they kept quiet.

The Death Eaters continued to walk intently down the main street, laughing as the mudbloods ran screaming in terror from them. Lucius watched with glee as Bella drew her wand and pointed it at one of the innocents and yelled with such conviction, "_Crucio!_"

The Muggle fell to the ground and his screams filled the air as the pain hit him like a thousand knives. Bellatrix and Lucius simply laughed louder, the begging cries of this man like a drug to them. Their Lord would be so pleased once they reported back to him.

Just then, Severus Snape came alongside the duo and watched impassively as the mudblood writhed on the dirt road. After a moment, he regarded Bella disdainfully. "I suggest lifting the curse."

She turned and looked at him, her eyes wild with accusation. "What? Have you become a blood traitor like that beloved Dumbledore?" She snarled at him.

"Of course not," Snape bit back sharply. "I just think it would be difficult to explain a man's sudden insanity to the authorities. There are other ways, you know."

Considering this for a moment, Bella finally removed the curse and smiled wickedly as the man twitched at her feet. "Enlighten me."

"We will take him with us," Snape informed her. "I'm sure the Dark Lord would enjoy watching you torture such a fine specimen of a mudblood."

Bellatrix stared him suspiciously, but Snape gave no sign that he had betrayed them. In fact, he met her eyes, daring her to perform Legilimency on him. Finally, she turned her eyes back to the man on the ground. "Fine," she agreed as the town was slowly decimated around them. "We'll apparate back to the Dark Lord and then you can show us how you would torture him."

At once, they pulled the man violently to his feet and held him roughly under his arms, giving little care to his physical condition. Leaving the rest of the Death Eaters behind, Lucius, Snape, and Bellatrix Lestrange apparated back to the side of their Lord.


End file.
